Protocol: Rain

Shun Tokinoya is a high school sophomore working at the FOX ONE e-sports cafe, who long ago stepped away from competitive gaming after his father died in an accident. When the cafe slides toward bankruptcy, Shun puts aside his guilt and decides to put together a team to enter the Xaxxerion Championship, hoping to win the prize money and keep the place open. The series follows Shun and a motley crew of friends and coworkers as they train, clash with rival teams, and rebuild their confidence, with matches and interpersonal moments alternating between tense competition and quiet reflection.

Released in 2023, Protocol: Rain was created by Yasutaka Yamamoto and Katsuhiko Takayama, and features voice work from Kensho Ono, Sora Amamiya, Inori Minase, Momo Asakura, and Ryohei Kimura, giving the show a strong cast presence from the start.

The series did not collect major industry awards or high-profile nominations, though it attracted attention within niche viewer circles and anime festivals that celebrate genre work rather than mainstream prize lists.

Among fans of e-sports and gaming anime, Protocol: Rain earned a modest cult following for its focus on the cafe setting and team dynamics. The show inspired fan art, discussion threads, and cosplay at smaller conventions, and it contributed to ongoing interest in anime that treats competitive gaming as both sport and social space.

Viewer response has leaned positive, reflected by a 7.1/10 user average from a small sample of votes, with particular praise for the voice performances and the chemistry between characters. The show foregrounds themes of grief, personal responsibility, friendship, and the tension between passion and obligation, while some viewers noted uneven pacing and occasional predictability in plot beats. Overall it appeals to audiences who enjoy character-driven sports and competition stories with a modern, gaming-flavored twist.